A Real Smile
by memoire
Summary: Halt's perspective when the Baron offered Will to be a Battleschool apprentice in Book One. Rated K. One-shot. R&R!


**Author's Note: Haaaai. :D This is an idea I've got ages ago. Finally, I can't help it anymore and wrote it down. I did copy some details, as this is exactly the same event, except it's Halt's perspective.**

**Oh, yeah. Sorry for the lame title. :P I can't think of anything better.**

**DISCLAIMER: John Flanagan owns. :( I hope I did own even only Will and Gilan and Halt, though. :D**

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><p>Will had always reminded Halt of a certain sergeant who had fought off the Wargals and saved him from getting sliced to pieces fifteen years back, and losing his own life in the process. Daniel indeed had the true courage of a warrior, as he didn't show the slightest fear for the God-forsaken creatures that were about to kill Halt. In fact, he, an untrained spear-man, had scared off the Wargals themselves; something not even the bravest of knights can do. Halt had never seen anybody with that kind of courage, and he admired the sergeant for it.<p>

Before Daniel died, he told Halt of his wife back at their farm alone, due to a child any day, and begged him to see she was looked after. Unfortunately, he had been too late. The mighty warrior's wife died of childbirth. So Halt took the baby boy, who he had later decided to name Will to Castle Redmont and Baron Arald agreed that baby Will should be brought up in the Ward—a place where orphans were raised until Choosing Day.

Fifteen years later, Will had become a Ranger's apprentice. The boy wanted to become a knight, but Rodney refused. According to the Battleschool master, he was too small. The other Craftmasters had also refused him, and just as Will thought he was going to end up a farmer, Halt intervened. He gave the Baron a piece of paper, in which Will thought to be information about him. Halt believed the boy had what it takes to be a Ranger, and he had proved it right when he sneaked off to the Baron's office in the middle of the night, completely unnoticed by the guards, to see that paper he was so curious about. Then, Halt and the Baron pretended that he was going to be punished. Instead, he became Halt's apprentice.

Slowly, Will had gotten used to the grim, old Ranger, and Halt even found himself to be fond of the boy and enjoyed his company. His apprentice had been like the newly-found light to his lonely life. The Ranger thought he preferred to be alone, after all. But though Will kept asking endless questions and always bugging Halt. He would never admit it, but he was quite enjoying the company of the younger boy.

They eventually formed a father and son relationship—Halt being the father Will never had, and likewise.

Now, they had just returned to Araluen after Will saved his, together with the Baron's and the Battlemaster, Rodney's lives from the Kalkara. In honour for that, the Baron had planned a little something for Will, and Halt wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

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><p>Will stood, looking nervous from looking at, by the looks of it, probably the biggest crowd he'd ever seen. Halt propelled his apprentice gently forward with a shove on the back.<p>

"Get on with it," he muttered.

Halt estimated there were hundreds of people in the Great Hall and every eye was turned toward Will. All of the Baron's Craftmasters were there, in their official robes. All of his knights and all the ladies of the court are all in their finest clothes. There were also the men-at-arms from the Baron's army, and the other apprentices and trademasters from their village.

He stood awkwardly, shifting his weight from one foot to another.

Halt shoved him again.

"Get a move on!" he hissed.

Will turned to him. "Aren't you coming with me?" he asked. Halt shook his head.

"Not invited. Now get going!"

He shoved him once more, then limped, favouring his injured leg, to a seat. Finally, apparently realizing he had no other course to follow, Will began to walk down the long, long aisle. His name was being whispered throughout the crowd.

And then the clapping started.

It began with one knight's lady and rapidly spread throughout the entire hall as everyone joined in. It was a deafening, thundering, echoing roar of applause that continued until he reached the foot of the Baron's chair.

He did as Halt instructed: drop to one knee and bow his head forward.

The Baron stood up and raised his hand for silence and the clapping died away to echoes.

"Stand up, Will," he said softly, and reached out a hand to help the boy to his feet.

Seemingly in a daze, Will obeyed. The Baron rested a hand on his left shoulder and turned to face the huge throng before them. His deep voice carried effortlessly to the farthest corner of the hall when he spoke.

"This is Will. Apprentice to the Ranger Halt of this fiefdom. See him now and know him, all of you. He has provided his fidelity, courage and initiative to this fief and to the Kingdom of Araluen."

Halt felt pride rise to his heart as he heart a murmur of appreciation from the people watching. Then the clapping began again, and this time accompanied by cheering. Halt noticed the cheers had begun in the section of the crowd where the Battleschool apprenctice warriors stood. He saw Will's friend, Horace's grinning face, leading the chorus.

The Baron held up a hand for silence, wincing as the movement brought pain to his cracked ribs and the carefully bandaged and sutured gashes in this back. The cheering and clapping died away.

"Will," he said, in a voice that echoed to the farthest corners of the massive room, "I owe you my life. There can be no thanks adequate for that. However, it is in my power to grant you a wish that you once made of me . . ."

Will looked up at him, frowning.

"A wish, sir?" he said, more than a little puzzled by the Baron's words.

The Baron nodded. "I made a mistake, Will. You asked me if you could train as a warrior. It was your wish to become one of my knights and I refused you.

"Now, I can rectify that mistake. It would do me honour to have one so brave and resourceful as one of my knights. Say the word now and you have my permission to transfer to the Battleschool as one of Sir Rodney's apprentices."

Rodney stepped forward, and the Baron gestured for him to speak.

"My lord," said the Battlemaster, "it was I who refused this boy as an apprentice, as you know. Now, I want all here to know that I was wrong to do so. I, my knights and my apprentices all agree that there could be no more worthy of the Battleschool than Will!"

There was a great roar of approval from the assembled knights and apprentice warriors. With a slithering clash of steel they unsheathed their swords and clashed them together above their heads, shouting Will's name. Again, Horace was the first one to do so, and the last to stop.

Gradually, the tumult died down and the knights resheathed their swords. At a sign from Baron Arald, two pages stepped forward, bearing with them a sword and a beautifully enameled shield, which they laid at Will's feet. The shield was painted with a representation of a fierce boar's head.

"This will be your coat of arms when you graduate, Will," said the Baron gently, "to remind the world of the first time we learned of your courage and loyalty to a comrade."

The boy went down on one knee and touched the smooth, enameled surface of the shield. He drew the sword slowly and reverently from its scabbard. It was a beautiful weapon, Halt got to admit. A masterpiece of the swordsmith's art.

The blade was razor keen, and slightly blued. The hilt and crosspiece were inlaid with gold and the boar's head symbol was repeated on the pommel. The sword itself seemed to have a life on its own. Will glanced from the beautiful, jeweled sword to the plan leather grip of his Ranger knife.

"They're a knight's weapons, Will," the Baron urged. "But you've proved over and again that you're worthy of them. Just say the word and they're yours."

Will slid the sword back into its scabbard and slowly stood up.

This is it, Halt thought. He tried to swallow, only to realize that he can't and his mouth was dry. He also realized that his heart was pounding against his chest. Odd how he's been to hundreds of battles, yet he has never felt this . . . what exactly was he feeling? Nervous? He didn't know, but he didn't let anything show. He kept his usual grim face as he watched the boy who'll no longer be his apprentice in a few minutes of time.

A little, selfish part of him wished Will would decline. Maybe he will. It's still possible, right?

Halt shook his head, trying to shake those thoughts out. The boy always wanted to be a knight, to follow his father's footsteps. Who was he to keep that from him? He probably didn't want to be an apprentice Ranger, anyway.

But his fears were quickly dispelled when Will looked up at the Baron and said in a firm voice: "I am a Ranger, my lord."

There was a murmur of surprise from the crowd, and Halt didn't really blame them. He himself was shocked, and it takes a lot to surprise the Ranger.

The Baron stepped closer to Will and said something in a low voice. Whatever it was, Will shook his head, looking very certain with himself.

"I thank you for the honour, my lord." Halt heard Will say as he glanced at the Battlemaster and saw that he was smiling and nodding his head in approval. "And I thank the Battlemaster and his knights for their generous offer. But I am the Ranger." He hesitated, and Halt froze slightly, but visibly relaxed when Will finished awkwardly, "I mean no offense by this, my lord."

A huge smile creased the Baron's features and he gripped Will's hand in his enormous grip.

"And I take none, Will. None at all! Your loyalty to your craft and your Craftmaster does honour to you and all of us who know you!" He gave Will's hand one final, firm shake and released him.

Halt walked to the massive doors, and stood there, waiting for his apprentice.

Grim as he was, he couldn't help a smile—a _real_ smile, that entered his features.

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><p><strong>Okay. Before you ask, I purposely only typed "Rodney" and not "Sir Rodney" in Halt's thoughts. I don't find it necessary for him to address the Battlemaster as Sir.<strong>

**R&R! :D Flames and CC's are more than welcome.**

**~Lady of Cythera**


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